Beaching gear



13, 1940. K. HENRICHSEN ET AL I ,3

BEACHING GEAR I Filed April 19 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 13, 1940. K. HENRICHSEQ ET AL 2,190,353

BEACHING GEAR Filed April 19, 19:58 5 Shets-Sheet s INVENIURS. [6102? Hmz'aizsea 'flz'ffbrdllej $44412 M4 mm? 1940. K; HENRICHSEN ET l. 2,190,358 I BEACHING QEAR Filed April 19, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 94 Vo'e mg BY ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1940. K. HENRICHSEN El AL 2,190,358

BEACHING GEAR Filed April 19, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 13, 1940.

PATENT OFFICE BEACHIN G GEAR Knut Henrichsen, Bridgeport, Conn., and Clifford J. Leisy, Towson, MIL, assignors to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn., a corporation of- Delaware Application April 19, 1938, Serial No. 202,888

17 Claims.

. This invention relates to improvements in beaching gear for flying boatsor seaplanes and has for an object the provision of an improved benching gear which may be easily and conveniently attached to the flying boat and readily detached therefrom. and which may be conveniently stored within'the boat when not in use. Other objects and advantages will be more particularly pointed out hereinafter or will become apparent as the description proceeds. -In the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are used-to designate similar parts throughout, there is illustrated a suitable mechanical embodiment of what is now consid- 5 end to be the preferred form of the invention. The drawings, however, are for the purpose of illustration only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention as set forth in the appended claims; In the drawings: I Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an aircraft showing a beaching gear constructed according to the invention attached thereto.-

Fig.'2 is an elevational view of one unit of the improved beaching gear' showing the position of flotation of the unit in water.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one unit of 'the beaching gear and a sectional view of a fragmentaryportion of a flying boat hull showing 30 one position of the beaching gear with respect to the hull during the process of attaching the beaching gear to the hull."

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a di-fierentposition of the beaching gear withQre- 35 spect to the hull during the gear attaching process. a

Fig. 5 isa view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 showing' another position of the beaching gear'unit with respect to the flying boat hull. 40 Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the beaching gear and fragmentary hull portion.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of a different portion of the flying boat hull and an elevational view of a difierent beaching gear unit during the operation of attaching the unit to the flying boat hull.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing the beaching gear unit in operative position with 50 respect to the hull.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary hull portion and the beaching gear unit shown in Figs. 7 and 8, this viewbeing at 90 from the views shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the flotation tank clamp for the beaching gear unit shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 and,

Fig. 11 is a somewhat schematic illustration showing the operation of stowing one of the beaching gear units within the hull of the flying 5 boat.

Referring to the drawings in detail the flying boat or seaplane, generally indicated at ID in Fig; 1, is illustrated,by way of example, as a type of large flying boat arranged to take off from 1 and land upon water only as it has not been found convenient or desirable to equip flying boats of large size with permanent ground land- 'ing equipment. It has been found necessary,

however, to provide such boats with some suitable 15 form of rolling equipment when it is desired to remove them from the water and bringthem up onto the land. The boat illustrated is provided with a hull l2 and a wing l4 and other necessary or desirable portions and appurtenances.

The beaching gear comprises in general three units, namely, two forward units, as generally indicated at I6, and a. single rear unit, generally indicated at [8. As the two forward units are similarin all respects except that one is a right hand unit and the other a left hand unit, it is thought that a detailed description of only one of these units is sufficient for the purpose of this disclosure.

Each forward unit comprises a pair of wheels carrying pneumatic tires, as indicated at 28 and 22, a wheel carrying axle 2d, a stem 26 connected to the axle between the wheels and a flotation tank arrangement, generally indicated at 28, se-= cured to the end of the stem opposite theend attached to the axle 24. The stem 26 is bent in two directions, as is particularly shown in Figs. 5 and'6, one bend, as illustrated in Fig. 5, accommodating the stem to the slant of the side of the hull in this case, and the other bend, as illustrated in Fig. 6, providing a caster action of the beaching gear wheels.

A transverse shaft 30 has its mid section securely connected to the" end of the stem 26 opposite the axle connected end thereof and carries, 5 uponeach side of the stem 26, a flotation tank, as indicated at 32 and 34 in Fig. 6. Also carried by the cross shaft 30 adjacent to the outer ends of the tanks 32 and 34 are the disk shaped bumper wheels 36 and 38 formed of metal or some other 5 material and covered with rubber or some similar resilient material. The ends of the shaft 30 project beyond the bumpers 36 and 38 to provide contact portions for the retractile hooks 40 and 42 permanently secured to the hull 46. These hooks are normally received within suitable apertures 48 provided within the interior of the hull and may be manually extended from their retracted position outside the hull to the position particularly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 when it is desired to attach the beaching gear to the hull. A double lever member 58 is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 38 adjacent to the shaft receiving portion of the stem 26 and is provided with an offset portion 52 pivotally connected to the ram 54 of a hydraulic jack 56 carried upon the outer side of the stem 28. The stem is also provided, intermediate its length, with a rest 58 adapted to engage the undersurface of the hull when the beaching gear unit is in operative position, as is particularly illustrated in Fig. 5. Adjacent to this rest there is provided a pin carrier 68 in which the pins 62 are slidably retained. These pins are operated by the hand lever 84 and engaged in the eyes 66, permanently attached to the hull, when the beaching gear is in operative position.

In applying either one of the forward units of the beaching gear to the hull of the flying boat, the unit is first floated out to the proximity of the boat in'the floating position, illustrated in Fig. 2. When the unit has been brought close to the boat, the end of a. cable 68, operated from within the boat by suitable means such as the block and tackle I8, is brought out of the boat, over the pulley I2, and to the floating location of the beaching gear unit. The end of this cable 68 is then engaged in a hook 14 carried at the free end of the lever 58, the hooks 48 and 42 are moved to their extended positions and the cable 68 is hauled into the hull. As the cable 68 is drawn into the hull, the beaching gear unit is brought first to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, in which it is still in its floating position but the members 36 and 38 are in contact with the outer surface of the hull adjacent to the point of attachment. Upon further movement of the cable into the hull the end of the stem 26 opposite the wheels is raised until the end of the transverse shaft 38 engages in the hooks 48 and 42. The unit is held in that position by the cable and the hydraulic jack 56 is then operated by the handle I39 to rotate the lever 58 about its pivotal connection with the shaft 38. As the lever 58 is rotated its free end engages the side of the hull atin alignment with the eyes 66 and the rest 58 is in engagement with the undersurface of the hull.

Also the fixed pin I4I part of stem 26 is now inserted in the hole in fitting I48. At this point the hand lever 64 is moved to insert the pins 62 through the eyes 66 and the beaching gear unit is then latched in operative position upon the hull, the units being held in position by the pin,

I and the pins 62, and the rest 58 being in position to receive the weight of the hull.

A swivel joint I8 is provided between the axle 24 and the lower end of the stem 26 so that the wheels may be turned relative to the stem and an extension '88 on the lower side of the axle is provided with an aperture 82 to receive the end of a steering lever. The wheels are also provided with some suitable form of brake which may be actuated by the manual brake lever 84.

o the case of the forward beaching gear unit hull.

the flotation tanks are permanently secured to the cross shaft 38 which is, in turn, permanently secured to the end portion of the stem 26.. Each unit is therefore maintained in completely assembled condition at all times and the only action necessary to render the units fully operative is the procedure of attaching the unit to the .hull as described above.

The rear unit is provided with a single pneumatic tired wheel, as indicated at 86. This wheel is pivotally mounted upon an axle 88 secured to the lower end of a stem or strut 98, the opposite end of which is connected by means of the offset 92 with one end of a swivel stem 94. A detachable flotation tank 96 is attachable to the stem 94 to float the rear unit in the position illustrated in Fig. '7. The tank may, if desired be located on the under side of the stem 94 to raise the stem so that the hook I86 is supported above the sur face. I I

A tubular member 98 is secured in the rear portion of the hull at one side thereof, as particularly illustrated in Fig. '7. The securing means for this tubular membenare of a character such that the tubular member may be detached from the hull if desired but in ordinary use'the tubular member 98 will remain at all times in its operative position within the rear portion of the The tubular member 98 has a bend intermediate its length as is clearly illustrated in'Figs.

'7 and 8 so that the lower portionthereof is substantially vertical while the upper portion is inclined to a position substantially parallel with the adjacent portion of the hull surface. Above the bend a Windlass I88 is carried by the tubular member 98 and receives one end of a cable I82- which extends from the Windlass-through a guide tube I84 to the interior of the tube 98 and downwardly through the vertical portion of the tube.

This cable is provided at its end. opposite the windlass with a hook or loop adapted to engage a hook I86 on the end of the stem 94. Y

When it is desired to attach the unit I8 to the hull, the unit is floated to a position below the tube 98, as indicated in Fig. '7, and the cable I82 is attached to the hook I86. The. cable is then reeled in to raise the unit and bring the stem 94 into the lower .end of the tube 98. After, the cable has been attached the flotation tank 96 is released from the stem- 94' to which it is attached by the clamp generally indicated at I88 and particularly illustrated in Fig, 10; This clamp has a fixed jaw I I8 and a pivoted jaw I I2 controlled by the manually operable lever I I4. Whenthe lever is in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 18,

the movable jaw H2 is held in position toclamp the flotation tank to the beaching gear. unit but,

when the handle H4 is moved to the position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 10, the jaw H2 is moved by the spring IIG about its pivotal connection II8 to a position to release the tank from the gear. The lever H4 is held in either one of the two positions indicated in Fig. 10 by the toggle action of the spring II 6. After the tank 96 has been removed, the cable I82 may be reeled in until the bearing surface I28 of the offset 92" comes into contact withthe lower end of the tube 98. When in this position the latch I22 may be operated to releasably lock the unit I8 in operative position in the tube 98. After the-unit I8 has been brought into its operative position,

as illustrated in Fig. 8, the tank 96 may be attached to some exposed portion of the bleaching gear unit in a location in which it will not interfere with the manipulation of the unit in beaching the aircraft. The unit I8 may be detached from the aircraft by releasing the latch I22 and unreeling the cable I02 until the gear unit floats upon the water at which time the cable may be released from the hook I06 and the bleaching gear unit move away from the vicinity of the tube 88.

The beaching gear units may be either kept at an airport at which the flying boat will be beached or may, if desired, be stowed in the boat and carried along so that the boat may be beached at any airport at which it lands. For the purpose of stowing the beaching gear units in the hull each unit may be provided with a suitable sling, as indicated at I24 for the forward unit and I26 for the rear unit. In the case of the forward unit one end of the sling may be connected with a suitable aperture I28 provided in the rest 58 and the other end may be connected with the extension 86. In the case of the rear unit the ends of the sling are connected to suitable loops or hooks,

- as indicated at I30 and I32. A suitable attaching device such as the ring bolt I34 extends from the under surface'of the wing adjacent to the side of the hull, the'adjacent portion of the hull being provided with a doorway I36. One end of a block and tackle device I38 (which may be the same block and tackle used to draw in the cable 68 and indicated by the numeral 16 in Fig. 3) is connected to the ring bolt I34. One of the beaching gear units is then floated to a location near the doorway I36 and the opposite end of the block and tackle I38 is attached to the sling with which the particular unit is provided. The unit is then moved to a position in which the tire rolls against the side of the hull and has its plane of rotation substantially vertical. The block and tackle I38 is then shortened and the beaching gear is rolled up the side of the hull until the wheel enters through the doorway I36, the position of the unit just before the wheel starts through the doorway being illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 11. After the beaching gear unit has reached a level such that the wheel will enter through the doorway I36 the unit is swung inwardly through the doorway and the block and tackle I38 is lengthened to lower the unit to the position illustrated-in full lines in Fig. 11. From this last mentioned position the units may be rolled to the location at which it is stowed in the.

hull and may be detachably secured in that 1ocation by any suitable means the hoisting slings I24 or I26 being convenient for that purpose. The units are removed from the hull by simply reversing the procedure described above.

One of the chief advantages of the improved beaching gear'is in the particular features of conularly important with regard to the forward units which are relatively heavy and have to be attached to a portion of the hull that is partly submerged. As is clearly indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the cable 68 may be attached to the forward unit while the unit is still at a safe distance from the hull. After the cable has been attached the unit may be quickly brought to a position in'which it is engaged by the hooks 4n and 42 and prevented by them from striking against the side of the hull. During this part of the operation the movement of the unit can also be controlled either by men in the water or by a cable attached to the wheel end of the unit and pulling against the force exerted by the cable 68 to maintain the unit directed at all times toward the portion of the hull to which it is to be attached and proceeding toward the hull at a substantially uniformed rate of speed. The unit is floated in such a position that it will be immediately engaged by the hooks as it is brought up to the side of the hull. The resilient members 36 and 38 also serve to cushion any minor shocks and prevent any metal to metal contact between the hull and the beaching gear unit as the unit is being hoisted into operative position.

A further object resides in the fact that when the beaching gear is disengaged from the flying boat practically none of the gear attaching devices extend beyond the surface of the boat null. As is particularly illustrated in Fig. 3 the hooks 40 and 42 are swung'downwardly until their outer surface is flushed with the surface of the hull and the pulley I2 is rotated inwardly to present a surface flush with the hull surface. The only element left exposed is the relatively small eye 66 and I48 which may serve as a convenient hand hold or cable attaching point when the boat is being maneuvered upon the water without the beaching gear being attached.

While a particular mechanical embodiment of the improved beaching gear has been illustrated and described for the purpose of disclosing the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement so illustrated and described but that such changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to as come within the scope of the appended claims. I

Having now described the invention so that others skilled in the art may clearly understand the same what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. Beaching gear for a seaplane comprising a plurality of floating units, means for connecting said floating units to the seaplane and a manually operable jack carried by each unit for submerging the lower portions of said units after said units have been connected with said seaplane.

2. Beaching gear for a seaplane comprising a plurality of units each carrying a wheel provided with a tire of suflicient buoyance to float the corresponding end of the unit, a flotation tank' necting the tank supported ends of said units to said seaplane. and means carried by each unit for submerging the respective tire after said connection to the seaplane has been made.

3. Beaching gear for a seaplane comprising, a plurality of units each carrying a wheel pro vided with a tire of sufficient buoya-nce to float the corresponding end of the unit, a flotation tank carried by each unit for floating the end thereof opposite the wheel carrying end, means for movably connecting the tank supported end of said units to said seaplane while said units are in' a floating condition, means carried by each unit for submerging the respective tire after said movable connection has been made,'and a manually operable latch carried by each unit for securing said unit in a fixed operative position to said seaplane.

4. Beaching gear for a seaplane comprising, a plurality of units each carrying a wheel provided with a tire of sufiicient buoyance to float the corresponding end of the unit, a flotation tank carried by each unit for floating the end thereof opposite the wheel carrying end, means for connecting the tank supported end of each of said units to said seaplane without lifting the units from the water comprising, a latch for pivotally securing the end of each unit to said seaplane and, a cable extendible from the body of said seaplane for bringing the tank supported end of each unit into engagement with the latch carried by said seaplane, and means carried by each unit for submerging the respective tire after said connection has been made. I

5. A seaplane beaching gear and means for removably attaching the same to a seaplane comprising, a plurality of floating wheel carrying units, a cable extendible out of said seaplane, means on each unit for attaching the outer end of the cable thereto, means within said seaplane for drawing in said cable to bring said units into association with said seaplane, retractable hooks on said seaplane for connecting said units to said seaplane when said cable is drawn in to a predetermined extent, and means carried by each unit for bringing said units from a floating position to a fully operative position.

6. A seaplane beaching gear unit comprising, a stem portion, a wheel carrying axle at one end of said stem, a transverse shaft at the other end of said stem, and flotation tanks permanently secured to said transverse shaft.

'7. A seaplane beaching gear unit comprising, a stem portion, a wheel carrying axle at one end of said stem portion, a transverse shaft at the opposite end of said stem portion, and flotation tanks permanently secured to said transverse;

shaft, the ends of said transverse shaft protruding beyond said flotation tank to provide spaced apart hook engaging portions for securing said unit to a seaplane. Y

8. A seaplane beaching gear unit comprising a stem portion, a wheel carrying axle at one end of said stem portion, a transverse shaft at-the opposite end of said stem portion, flotation tanks permanently secured to said transverse shaft at location such that the ends of said shaft protrude beyondsaid tank to provide spaced apart hook engaging portions for connecting said units with a seaplane, and resilient bumpers carried by said transverse shaft extending beyond said flotation tank to contact the side wall of a seaplane body as said unit is brought up to a seaplane for the purpose of attaching it thereto.

9. A flotatable beaching gear unit for a seaplane comprising, a stem portion, a wheel carrying axle at one end of said stem, pneumatic tires at said wheel carrying end of said unit having a sufiicient buoyance to float the corresponding end of said unit, a transverse shaft at the other end of said stem, flotation tanks secured to said transverse shaft to float the corresponding ends of said. unit, the ends of said transverse shaft protruding beyond said flotation tank to provide spaced apart hook engaging portions to connect said unit with said seaplane, a lever member pivoted on said transverse shaft, and a jack carried by said stem portion operatively connected with said lever to move the same in a direction to bring said unit from a floating position to an operative position in which said tires are submerged.

- 10. A seaplane beaching gear unit comprising, a stem portion, a wheel carrying axle rigidly secured to one end of said stem portion, a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, flotation tanks at the other end of said stem portion for floating said unit, means for rigidly securing said unit to a seaplane, a brake mechanism carried by said axle cooperating with said wheel, and'a manually operable brake control lever carried by said axle and extending generally along said stem, thebrake mechanism of each unit being independently operable.

11. A floating beaching gear unit for a sea- I stem substantially horizontal floating position.

12. A seaplane beaching gear unit and means for attaching the same to a seaplane comprising,

a tubular-member having a cylindrical portion at one end thereof and a wheel carrying axle at the opposite end thereof, a tubular member firmly secured in the body portion of said seaplane for receiving said cylindrical end, a cable extendible through said cylindrical member, means for attaching the outer end of said cable to said unit, means for withdrawing said cable into said seaplane through said tubular member to bring the cylindrical end of said stem into said tubular member, and a transverse bearing member on said stem cooperating with the end of said tubular member to support the load imposed by said seaplane on said beaching gear unit.

13. A seaplane beaching gear unit comprising, a stem portion, a wheel carrying axle, a rotatable connection between said wheel carrying axle and one end of said stem portion, a transverse shaft at the opposite end of said stem portion having end portions engageable with said seaplane for connecting said units to said seaplane, a latch device on said stem portion intermediate the length thereof for rigidly securing said unit in operative position to said seaplane, and a steering attachment on said wheel carrying axle.

14. In a seaplane and beaching gear therefor, a plurality of floating beaching gear units, means for removably connecting said units to said seaplane in operative poistion to support said seaplane when it is being beached or launched, and means including a lift attachment on said seaplane adjacent to an opening in the seaplane hull for stowing all of said'units in the hull of said seaplane whenever said units are not being used to support said seaplane in beaching or launching maneuvers.

15. A floating dolly for launching and bringing seaplanes ashore and means for readily. attaching said dolly to a seaplane comprising, a wheel car-' rying supporting stem, a cable movable into and out of said seaplane, means within said seaplane for moving said cable, attaching means on said stem for the outer end of said cable, means on said seaplane adjacent to the outlet of said cable for receiving the end of said stem'opposite said wheel carrying end, and means for latching said dolly in operative position upon said seaplane.

16. A floating dolly for a seaplane adapted to be floated to a point adjacent to the body portion of seaplane and having thereon a support for'attachment to the seaplane, and power means carried by said dolly and adapted to react against the side of said seaplane in a manner to submerge the free-end of said dolly after said dolly has been pivotally connected to the seaplane, and

1'1. The combination of a seaplane having attachable fitting parts carried thereby, with a floating dolly adapted to be transported to a point immediately beneath said fitting parts and having a support engageable with said fitting parts to provide a pivotal connection between said dolly and said seaplane, and power means carried by the dolly and having a connection with KNUT HENRICHSENJ CLIFFORD J. LEISY. 

